Australian PM says Pope must sack archbishop convicted of concealing child sex abuse

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Australian PM says Pope must sack archbishop convicted of concealing child sex abuse

By Colin Packham

 

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull speaks to the media in Sydney, Australia, July 19, 2018. AAP/Joel Carrett/via REUTERS

 

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said on Thursday that Pope Francis must sack an Australian archbishop convicted of concealing child sex abuse.

 

Archbishop Philip Wilson, 67, in May became the most senior Catholic cleric to be convicted of not disclosing to police abuse by another priest.

 

Wilson was sentenced to a year's detention earlier this month. He has stepped aside as archbishop of Adelaide in South Australia state, but has not resigned, insisting he would do so only if he is unsuccessful in an appeal.

 

Turnbull, who has previously called on Wilson to resign, escalated his criticism of Wilson remaining in office.

 

"He should have resigned and the time has come for the Pope to sack him," Turnbull told reporters in Sydney.

 

"I think the time has come now for the ultimate authority in the church to take action and sack him."

 

The Archdiocese of Adelaide was not immediately available for comment.

 

Lawyers for Wilson, who maintained his innocence throughout his trial, had argued that he did not know priest James Fletcher had committed child sex abuse throughout the 1970s. The court was told that two victims, one an altar boy, told Wilson of the abuse in 1976.

 

Fletcher was found guilty in 2004 of nine counts of child sexual abuse and died in jail in 2006 after a stroke.

 

Wilson remains on bail while he is assessed by prison authorities for home detention, instead of jail.

 

Wilson, who was earlier this year diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's disease, is due to face court again on August 11 for a ruling on whether he will be imprisoned or allowed to serve his sentence in home detention.

 

Allegations of sexual abuse cover ups have continued to rock the Catholic Church years after perpetrators of sexual abuse started regularly appearing before the courts.

 

In Chile, the country's 34 bishops in May offered to resign over allegations of a cover up of sexual abuse.

 

(Reporting by Colin Packham; Editing by Michael Perry)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-07-19

[tracker1]

It appears Wilson wasn't a member of the Elite Pedo Club seeing Cardinal Pell covered up sexual abuse in the clergy thats if he wasn't involved in it himself and your not mentioning him Malcolm !

[africasiaeuro]

Truly speaking: Without the slight hesitation - if accusations are true.

Happen to know another fake priest in Bkk who reads the sermons during day and has a different nighlife altogether. Just by coincidence this one is an Aussie too.

Bangrak seems to be the venue for such individuals.

 

[digger70]

3 hours ago, tracker1 said:

It appears Wilson wasn't a member of the Elite Pedo Club seeing Cardinal Pell covered up sexual abuse in the clergy thats if he wasn't involved in it himself and your not mentioning him Malcolm !

What about All the Other Has Been Pollies involved in Illegal Sex /Boys,,,,There's a Few about ,some of hem got estates Abroad and Pay the Government to do What They Want,,,Disgusting  maggots,,,,

[Retiredandhappyhere]

Strange how these people hold high positions, but then seem to develop  serious medical problems when they are caught and found guilty.  House arrest possible?  How convenient. Many ordinary innocent people who have genuine medical problems are often housebound, so this guy will probably be getting off very lightly.

[FritsSikkink]

Sack him?

Throw him in jail for the rest of his life.

[Mad mick]

16 hours ago, tracker1 said:

It appears Wilson wasn't a member of the Elite Pedo Club seeing Cardinal Pell covered up sexual abuse in the clergy thats if he wasn't involved in it himself and your not mentioning him Malcolm !

AGREE EPC So many politicians, radio announces, tv personalities, GG is invisible , so many involved, i wish turnbull, bishop, dutton etc,. LNP would sack the selves with pell 

[robblok]

10 hours ago, Retiredandhappyhere said:

Strange how these people hold high positions, but then seem to develop  serious medical problems when they are caught and found guilty.  House arrest possible?  How convenient. Many ordinary innocent people who have genuine medical problems are often housebound, so this guy will probably be getting off very lightly.

Looks lot like what is happening in Thailand.. rich people seem to try to pull the same trick at times. Guess its a world wide thing.

[GForce7]

Whatever we think about the Catholic paedophiles Turnbull needs to be cautious about interfering with the legal process. In Australia it is important that the judiciary are completely independent of political involvement.  Mitigating Turnbull's commentary is guilty verdict is already determined and it becomes an organisational issue. But caution anyhow. So we don't set precedents.7